Stone Cold
by xxWalkingDisasterxx
Summary: COMPLETE SEVENTH CHAPTER UP! Takes place after Impact. What if Mystique had survived the fall down the cliff, and hadn't been shattered? Please read and review! Rated for mild violence. My first serious story! Thanks to every1 who reviewed!
1. Shattered

**Stone Cold**

**Author's Note: I don't own X-Men Evo. What made you think that I did? Do I look important? I do? Why thank you!**

**Author's Second Note: This takes place sometime after Impact. This is the situation: What if Mystique hadn't died from that push off a cliff and shattering? Also, I have no idea if I spelled Agatha's name right. I just guessed.**

**Chapter 1: Shattered**

It was a cold night. The wind blew gently through Kurt Wagner's fine fur. He could hear the waves crashing onto the shore beneath the cliff below. He stood, waiting beside Agatha Harknis. He also stood beside his mother, Mystique. He stared into her stone eyes.

_Vhy did you do this..._ he asked in his mind. He couldn't understand it. She had been working to release Apocalypse, but why? He didn't know. She had been taken advantage of, and had had her own powers used against her. She was now a lifeless stone statue. The Professor and Beast had told him many times that they could not save her...and Rogue had told him many times that if he did not get rid of their "mother", she would. But he hadn't the heart to simply give her up. All the evil, all the deception, and all the lies put aside, she was still his mother. He couldn't deny that. He wanted to save her. So, after he had saved her from the Brotherhood, who abused her to no end, he had heard the one named Wanda say that perhaps Agatha Harknis could help her. Kurt prayed she was right. Agatha had obliged, but said another was needed to save Mystique. Apparently, it was this person whom they were waiting for. He stared into her stone face, twisted in agony and fear and surprise. It twisted a knife deeply into his heart. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming from behind the trees, down the path. He turned around to stare down the dark path, hanging around the post for support. He felt like he was going to faint. His yellow eyes stared out into the darkness as he saw a faint shadowy figure walking towards the path. He saw brown hair with white bangs over an extremely pale face...wait, he recognized that. It was Rogue! Or was it his mind playing tricks on him? He could not understand why Rogue, who hated Mystique so much, would want to help her. Or maybe she didn't know...perhaps Agatha had simply sent her a message to meet them there... no matter what the reason, she was there. He was sure it was her. He could see her face now, she was right up to them.

"Rogue? Vhy are _you_ here?" Kurt asked, surprised.

"She has come to end the torment." Agatha explained to the bewildered Nightcrawler. She turned to gaze sadly at Rogue. "Isn't that right, child?"

Rogue stole a glance at Kurt, then turned back to look roughly at Agatha. "Yes." She said simply.

Agatha put her old, wrinkled hands together. "If your mother-" At the word "mother", Rogue cringed, "-_is_ alive, only you have the power to save her." Agatha said calmly to Rogue. Rogue stared in shock and disbelief at Agatha's words. "Rest your hands on the stone, and absorb the mutation." Agatha continued.

"Hold on now!" Kurt burst out, throwing his hands in the air. "Is that even _safe?_" he asked. "What if she-"

But Agatha put her hands up for silence. "A moment is all that it will take. It will free Mystique enough for her to unlock her own powers." Agatha interrupted.

Rogue stared down at her own gloved hands, thinking hard of what to do. "You're serious?" Rogue asked in a small tone. She looked back up to Agatha and Kurt, and last of all, Mystique's cold, hard body. "I'm the only one who can save her?" Rogue took a few steps forward toward the statue, but stopped. Kurt quickly took the chance and grabbed Rogue shoulder, and squeezed it affectionately.

"Please, Rogue. It's the right thing to do; you know it is!" He pleaded. But she pushed him off, threw her hands up as if to shield herself from the statue, and whirled around. "No!" She cried. "I won't do it!"

Kurt quickly ran in front of her, his demon-like tail swishing rapidly. "If you don't help her," he stated, his hands swishing through the air n front of him. "This will haunt you for the rest of your life!" He put his fist in front of his face. "_Prove_ that you are not like her!"

Rogue whirled around and stepped in front of Mystique as Agatha watched from the side. She cocked her head, staring into Mystique's cold, lifeless eyes. She closed her own, deep in thought, and just as she was about to decide to save her mother, memories of all the times Mystique had used her, and betrayed her, and lied to her flooded into her mind. A rage the likes of which she'd never felt before overwhelmed her, and she roared. She thrust the statue-her foster-mother, Kurt's real mother- through the railing and off the cliff. She didn't hear Kurt's scream or Agatha's gasp of surprise, or the sound of Kurt teleporting, trying to save his beloved mother. She didn't look over to see if the statue had somehow survived. She panted hard, sweat pouring down her face. When she could hear again, she heard Kurt scream, "NO!" and a satisfying smash, as she knew Mystique had been reduced to a pile of rubble. She walked over to the edge to see Kurt at the bottom of the shore, kneeling and crying beside the fragments of stone that was all that was left of her mother. She began to sob too, as she heard Kurt's cries ring out into the cold, cold night. She turned around and ran into the dark forest, Kurt's cries echoing in her mind all the way, Agatha's look of disapproval clouding her vision.

Kurt sat crying at the bottom of the great cliff overlooking the sea. His mother, who he had hated and loved at the same time, was now gone. No hope of coming back. All because of_ Rogue._ He never wanted to see her again. He felt anger and hatred toward his supposed sister. He hated everything right then. He hated the mansion, he hated the Brotherhood, he hated the crabs who kept trying to take away the small bits of his mother's hand, and most of all, he hated Rogue. Now Mystique was dead, never to come back.

Or so everyone thought.

How's that, people? This chapter is just a review of what we saw in the show. This episode is Impact, by the way. Please, review!


	2. Stone Cold Heart

**Author's Note: I don't own X-Men Evo, as I said in chapter one. I realllllllly don't want to have to say it over and over again, so please, just don't mention it...**

**Chapter 2: Stone Cold Heart**

A few hours earlier...

Down in a place called Caldacott County in New Orleans, woman sat in her home, sitting in a comfortable arm chair. Although she couldn't see, she felt the presence of the man who sat opposite her.

"Did you get her?" The blind woman asked him.

"Yes, but I still don't see why you vant this hunk of stone so very much." The man replied, his face shrouded in darkness. His voice was deep and had a German accent playing on it.

"You do not understand. But I do thank you for saving it. Did anyone see you?" The blind woman asked.

"Nein, Irene. You should know better than to think they could catch me. I am a master of shadows." The man replied with a brilliant white smile that glowed even through the darkness. Irene couldn't see them, but she knew that fangs were also present in that beautiful mouth. Irene heard a faint _swish, swish_ noise as something moved through the air.

"Of course. But do not get too cocky, Wagner. Those X-Men have good defense. Not to mention if Kurt saw you-"

"I do not care about the boy. He could not catch me anyway."

"He is your son, he has a right to know-"

"He is _not_ my son!" the man bellowed as he stood. "He is that wretch's son! Just give me my payment and I can leave!" Irene stood up using her cane, and, with her superb hearing that one tends to gain when they are deaf, listened to the man's breathing to discover where he was. She pulled out a key, and opened the safe that she'd memorized...Raven had always kept money in there... she pulled out one hundred thousand dollars, and paid the strange man.

"Danke. Now I vill be leaving. I hope what's left of my beloved vife shall keep you company...although, she had _always_ had a stone cold heart." The man laughed cruelly as there was a flash, and a sound like a_ bamf_, and all that was left of the man was the stench of brimstone and sulfur. Irene walked over to what the man had delivered. She ran her hands along the smooth stone, where she knew Raven's face was.

"Raven, why did you do this?" Irene asked into the silence. She knew not if Mystique could hear her. But she did know she could not reply.

"Do not worry, Raven, I will restore you." irene told the statue.

Irene had had a precognitive vision, hours earlier, of Rogue destroying Raven... she knew she could not let it happen. She saw Kurt crying over the shattered remains of her partner, her dearest friend...she saw Rogue, a triumphant look in her eyes, but Irene could see past that...she could see the hate, love, and sadness inside her _soul_, something no one else saw, not even Rogue. From there, she had to rescue Raven's stony body from Kurt. But she couldn't do it alone. She was, in fact, blind, so she could not have done it alone. But she knew one man who could make it inside undetected, one man who could make it out with Raven and leave a fake behind. That man was Marko Wagner. He had been Mystique's husband, Kurt's father... he was just like Kurt, only with red skin and black eyes... the blue skin and yellow eyes had been inherited from Raven, of course.

Irene's fists clenched. She knew that Raven had done the wrong thing, going into leagues with Magneto. It was Magneto who had sped up Kurt's mutation. Kurt should not have been born with the ears, the tail, the skin, none of it. And he hadn't been born with it. Magneto had brought it on. He had experimented. Raven had hated him for it. She knew Kurt could've had at least 10 years of being normal, not being afraid of how she looked.

She'd thought of that word again. _Had._ She spoke of Raven as though she were dead. But Raven wasn't dead...merely trapped. Irene would find a way to bring her back.

"I swear it, my friend." Irene began feeling tears well up in her useless eyes. They began to spill down her cheeks. "I swear it!" She shouted at Raven. Irene couldn't see it. She couldn't of. But somehow, she knew. She knew when a single tear ran down Raven's smooth, cool face. Irene didn't know how, but she knew that she would free not only her partner, but her...friend.

It's gettin' on from here, folks! Marko Wagner is not actually Kurt's father's name, but whatever. I made the red skin and looking like Kurt thing a reference to the comics, a direct link to Azazil. Please, review! And yes, now you know how Mystique survived, because that wasn't her being pushed off at all!


	3. BitterSweet

**Chapter 3:Bitter-Sweet**

In normal time, back at the mansion...

Crying could be heard flowing through the halls. Kurt's usually tidy room was in complete disarray. Sheets and blankets were scattered on the ground, a picture of him and Rogue together was shattered on the ground. Kurt lay a sobbing heap on the floor beside his window. He had been crying all night and all day so far. As soon as Logan had lifted him away from the beach- Kurt wouldn't move, he just sobbed uncontrollably- he'd put him in his room. Kurt hadn't left since. He'd talked to no one, not Kitty, not the Professor, not even his girlfriend Amanda. He didn't even know why he cared so much that Rogue had killed her. I mean, she wasn't a good mother to him either. Why did he care so much? Because. That's just it. She was his mother. That's good enough of a reason for Kurt. He had loved her still. He knew what he should do, he should have a funeral for his beloved mother. He wouldn't invite anyone, well, then again, he _could_ invite Kitty...though he would admit it to no one, he had a small affection for Kitty...but he shook his head.

_No! We are just friends!_ Kurt scolded himself in his mind. He shook his head. He was letting his mind stray. Yes, he would get a casket and everything...he'd go in the evening so no one would be in the cemetery. He would bury her, give her the respect she deserved. Deep in his heart, he knew she was not a bad person...she had been driven to it. After all, after she had found him again, she had tried to save him, tell him the truth, get him to love her back. But after seeing what she'd done to Rogue, he had not believed her, had hated her, had rejected her. Now he had wished he hadn't. Perhaps if he had gone with her at the start, she would still be alive. This only forced him back into tears.

_It vas my fault!_ Kurt screamed in his mind. _It's _my _fault she was shattered! If I had gone with her, perhaps she would have grown nicer! Not gone with Apocalypse! _He screamed in his mind so loudly, he could hear it outside his mind. Then, he realized that he had unconsciously screamed it, and had thrown several items to their doom against his bedroom wall.

_No._ His mind said back to him. _It wasn't your fault. It was the Rogue's fault._ It said.

"You're right!" Kurt said quietly to himself, standing up and wiping away the tears. "It's _Rogue's_ fault, not mine!" He bared his teeth and growled involuntarily at the name. _I'm going to pay her a visit._ He quickly teleported into Rogue's room to find her at the window, staring.

"_You! You evil person! You killed our mother! You shattered her body! And worst of all, you didn't even feel sorry for her, or me! I hope you get sent to hell!" _Kurt snarled, pointing an accusing finger at her. She turned around angrily at him, her eyes still wet with tears.

"Didn't feel sorry?_ Didn't feel sorry?"_ Rogue growled, her eyes streaming with hot, angry tears. "Why should Ah feel sorry for her? Did she feel sorry for me when mah powers went out of control? Did she feel sorry for me when she tried to push me off a cliff as a wolf? Did she feel sorry for me when she used me to release Apocalypse? NO!" She bellowed, spraying a bit of saliva on Kurt's red hot face, his expression a grimace. "She didn't deserve mah love! She was a cold, heartless witch! And if anyone's gettin' damned to hell, it'll be her!" Rogue screamed. Several people paused outside the room to hear the fight going on within.

"She may not have been the greatest, but she was our mother nonetheless!" Kurt had hot tears running down his face too.

"Get outta here! If you are going to defend that woman, Ah don't want to know you!" Rogue shrieked one last time before collapsing forward onto her bed. "Ah'm so sorry, Kurt... Ah'm so, so sorry..." She sobbed. Kurt calmed himself down. He got down onto the bed too, their tears staining the dry comforter.

"I don't mean the things I said..." He sobbed.

"It's okay...neither did Ah..." Rogue tried to compose herself. Her dark eyeshadow began running down her face.

_What am Ah doin'? She deserved it! _Rage overtook her againShe pushed Kurt off the bed. He stumbled in surprise.

"Get out." She growled.

"Vhat?" Kurt asked. A moment ago, they had been crying together on the bed. Now she wanted to fight again?

"You heard me, Furball! Get OUT!" She cried.

"One day, I might forgive you...if you can forgive yourself." Kurt stated angrily before teleporting back to his own room. She collapsed again.

_She ruined mah life. No matter how much Ah try, Ah'm becoming just like her. Angry, destructive, unforgiving._ She thought sadly. Kurt's words rang through her mind..._I might forgive you...if you can forgive yourself..._ it was getting late again. Surprisingly, she didn't feel hungry, considering that she hadn't left her room since the night before. She didn't even both getting into her pajamas. She cried herself to sleep that night.

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The next morning, Rogue awoke and found she had her appetite back. She quietly opened her door; it was very early, around 6:00, while all of the X-Men and students woke up around 8:00. She crept down the hall to the bathroom, and put her thick make-up on. She snuck down the stairs, down to the kitchen. She creaked the door open to find Kurt sitting, eating. They didn't say anything to each other. They simply glared at one another, trying to see which one could make the other explode first by looking at them. Instead of getting into another fight with him, she grabbed her breakfast and ate it in the living room. She heard a knock at the door, and crept over to it. She opened it and found it was the mailman.

"Isn't it a little early to be deliverin' mail?" Rogue asked suspiciously.

"Normally, yes, but this is apparently an urgent letter. Is there someone named... 'Rogue' here?" The mailman said, looking down at a letter he was holding.

"Uh, that'd be me." Rogue told him.

"Okay, just sign here please." He asked her, showing her a clipboard. She signed the papers, and accepted the letter. She thanked him. She walked back into the kitchen, this time not even looking at Kurt.

"Who vas that?" He asked her, but she ignored him. She grabbed a knife out of the drawer and opened the envelope. Inside, she found a letter with handwriting she recognized.

_To my dear Rogue,_

_It is me, Irene. I know I hurt you, like, Raven, but there is something I urgently need your assistance with. Please, Rogue, I raised you all these years; don't you trust me? You used to tell me you loved me. Now, prove it. I am still living in Caldecott County, in the very same house you grew up in. Please, do not let your anger at Raven stop you from helping me. I love you, and no amount of lies or false words can change that._

_Sincerely, Irene._

Rogue's head was spinning. Should she accept? After all, Irene had lied to her too. She had gone along with Mystique's plan to get her to join the Brotherhood. But then she racked through her brain, searching through Mystique's memories. Had she forced Irene to go along with it? After all, Irene was a blind old woman. She could not exactly defend herself, especially against someone like Mystique. But Mystique wouldn't hurt her dearest friend. Or would she? Rogue wouldn't put it past her.

"Vhat is it?" Kurt asked, walking up to look while he put his dishes in the sink.

"None of your business!" Rogue snapped. She decided she had to help Irene. She had raised her, and Rogue did trust her. She knew she could trust Irene. Irene wasn't the type to manipulate people. She dashed out of the kitchen, and before Kurt could catch up to her, had hidden, so Kurt couldn't follow her. When he had left to check another room, she dove into the elevator, and down the hallway towards the garage. She picked out a fine car, one the X-Men wouldn't notice was gone. She took the corresponding key from the key board, where all the car keys were kept, and started the engine. She sped off into the early morning sunrise, being as quiet as possible so as not to wake anyone up. As soon as she was out of sight of the mansion, she drove faster and louder. It seemed no one was awake but her in the usually busy city of Bayville. There were very few motorists on the roads this time of morning, and she raced by undetected. She had been lucky; she hadn't hit one red light. She drove for miles, and for hours, until finally she began recognizing things from her old home. She saw the swamp she used to play in with her friends when she was young, and had almost been eaten by an alligator. She past the hospital, where the boy Cody Robbins had spent a month in a coma after Rogue had touched him. And she passed the house where the touching had actually happened, one fateful night at a party. And eventually, she reached the place she had grown up. The place she'd once called home. She parked the car in the driveway, and sighed heavily. She walked slowly up to the front door. Everything seemed to move in slow motion; from the heavy fall of her footsteps, the bird flying overhead, to the trees blowing in the wind. She reached the door, not knowing what to do. Irene was blind, so she couldn't open the door.

_You've gotten this far, girl! Don't blow it now!_ Her voice rang out in her mind. She knocked heavily three times, the slow-motion effect wearing off now.

"Come in." Was the answer that came from inside. Rogue slowly opened the door and peeked her head in.

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Meanwhile...

"Kurt? What're you doing up this early...?" Scott mumbled as Kurt shook him awake.

"Get up, Scott! You have to help me find Rogue!" Kurt shook him hard. He even slapped him with his tail.

"Okay, okay, I'm up! Now what's this about Rogue?" Scottt shook his head to wake himself up. He still had his glasses on; he _had_ to sleep with them on.

"She got a letter from the letter carrier, and drove off!" Kurt urged desperately. Scott was wide awake now.

"Call the Professor." Scott told him.

_There is no need, Scott. I can hear you._ The Professor's voice rang in their minds.

_Rogue's gone. Can you find her?_ Scott thought back urgently. A moment's silence.

_Yes. She's back home. In Mississippi. Go, find her. Find out what she's doing. But be warned, she's still in a very agitated state. Be ready for anything._Was the reply.

Kurt read Scott's face and nodded, He teleported, waking up every X-Man. They met in the hallway.

"Scott, like, why are you waking us up at like, 6:30! That so totally, like, rude!" Kitty demanded.

"Yeah, dude! I need to rest up for the Skateboarding Championships tomorrow!"Evan complained.

"X-Men, suit up. Rogue's gone." Scott ordered solemnly.

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"Irene?" Rogue whispered as she shut the door.

"Yes. Oh, Rogue I knew you'd come! I've missed you so much. I love you, my dear!" Irene said, sensing where Rogue was and stretching for a hug. Surprisingly enough, Rogue gave it to her. As they broke apart, they both sat down.

"What is it that you need help wit, Irene?" Rogue asked as she watched the blind woman shift uncomfortably.

"Rogue, I know what you did at the Mansion." Irene told her solemnly. Rogue's face fell. How'd Irene know? Oh yeah, she had the ability to tell the future. Duh. Rogue mentally slapped herself. "Why did you do that?"

"Because...Ah don't know..." Rogue began quietly. She hated the subject. "Ah was thinkin' 'bout savin' her, but at the last minute Ah remembered how evil she was." Rogue said plainly.

"Yes, she was evil sometimes. But Rogue, was it much better for you to have killed her? Was that any more evil?" Irene replied. She didn't mean to, Rogue knew, but Irene was alienating Rogue. She made her feel terrible.

"She's done worse. She killed people all the time without even thinkin' 'bout it." Rogue retorted.

"Let us change the subject to why I asked you here." Irene said after a long pause.

_Thank you, merciful God._ Rogue thanked silently.

"Follow me. Or at least, could you bring me to the room with the curtain?" Irene asked.

Rogue nodded, then remembered Irene couldn't see her. "Yeah, Irene." She held Irene's arm and led her to a small room with a curtain cutting it off from the main room. Rogue pulled back the curtain and led Irene inside. Irene bit her lip, waiting for Rogue to scream, or become enraged and yell, or knock something over, or accidentily hurt Irene in a blind rage. But nothing happened. Only silence. This confused Irene greatly.

"Rogue, do you see her?" Irene asked Rogue.

"See who? What're you talkin' 'bout, Irene?" Rogue asked Irene, turning to face her. Irene frowned, and walked a few paces forward, groping through the air all the while. When nothing reached her fingers but the other wall, Irene gasped.

_Where had Raven's body gone!_


	4. The Life In Death

**Review Shoutouts! Yay!**

**DarkWolfBlade: Thanks for all the reviews! You're awesome! And an Apocalypse deal? Well, you gave me an idea! Read the following chapter . . . **

**Isilthrar: Thanks for the nice review! I am updating a lot because I've got no other stories to distract me. I ain't got any other ideas stewing right now, except I'm thinking up a sequel to my other fic.**

**Frankie: Yeah, it is a bit sad. But still, that episode was pretty sad. I'm trying not to make the entire thing dreary, but it's got to have that touch, you know what I mean?**

**Well, I'm sorry to say this people, but this will be the last chapter I write for about two weeks, 'cause I'm going on Vacation! Don't ask where..really... but as soon as I get back, I'll keep writing!**

**Chapter 4:The Life in Death**

In a pyramid very far from civilization, a man with a dark face and an evil look in his eyes stood opposite a stone statue of a woman. The dark face glanced across the room. He looked across the room at his project. Its eyes were shut tight, its skin hard, and stony. His face grew into a smile, his eyes narrowing as he thought of the possibilities. His hard work had borne fruit. His specimen had anger beyond his imagination, and the skills to back it up. Now, he had given it the power to strike its revenge. The only price it needed to pay was its free will...

"It is time." Apocalypse's booming laughter filled the chamber of the pyramid.

"Awaken, my Horseman." He spoke, and a pair of striking and vibrant yellow eyes snapped open, and the stone went away. The statue became alive. She had odd, glowing markings all about her, from her blue legs to her fiery red hair.

"What is your wish, my master?" The "Horseman" spoke with a distorted voice, not like her own.

"Seek your vengeance on anyone and anything. On those who have hurt you most. Bring your wrath upon them...Death(1)." Apocalypse ordered. The Horseman named "Death" nodded, and transformed into a raven, and flew away through a passage built especially for her.

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Irene suddenly collapsed on the floor. She was having a particularly disturbing vision. Why hadn't she gotten this earlier...

She saw her dear Raven killing, and destroying, and all not on her own free will. She'd been kidnaped(2) and brainwashed. She was even different physically; she had odd markings all about her, all glowing a bright blue, contrasting greatly with her dark blue skin.

"Irene!" Rogue gasped, and quickly bent down to help her up. But when she'd left the mansion, she'd neglected to bring gloves with her,a nd Rogue was so worried that she hadn't realized the consequences of grabbing Irene's hands. Irene quickly fell limp, and her thoughts and abilities flew into Rogue. Lucky for Rogue, though, she did not become blind. Rogue was so upset she didn't read the recent thoughts of Irene. She quickly hauled Irene up over her shoulder, her cane left behind, this time being extremely careful not to touch Irene directly, and carefully laid her on the couch. As soon as she was sure Irene was fine, she followed her memories to where her room was. Surprisingly, Irene hadn't changed anything. It was as neat and tidy as the night she'd left. She rummaged through some of her clothes drawers, and found an old pair of gloves. Then, as soon as she had nothing else to do but sit out in the living room, waiting for Irene to come to, she realized what Irene's intentions had been.

She had wanted Rogue to save Mystique.

It was all clear to Rogue now. That hadn't been Mystique she'd pushed off the cliff; merely a decoy! Irene had saved it. No, some strange man with a tail saved it, but to her that wasn't important. Irene had tried to use her again! Rogue stood up in a fury. She felt like picking that woman up and throwing her across the room and breaking her legs and leaving her there to suffer. But Rogue couldn't do that to _anyone_, let alone _Irene_. She calmed herself down and scanned through the thoughts more carefully.

No, Irene _hadn't _used her. She had even planned to ask Rogue first. She wasn't going to force her to save the statue.

_Wait! That's what was to supposed have been in that room, then!_ It dawned on Rogue. Mystique's body had been stolen from where Irene had held it safely. She scanned through, the memories getting more clearer by the second. Then she found something she hadn't known, not then, not through all of her life; Irene had loved Mystique.

_Ugh. Didn't need to know _that_ really. _Rogue thought sickly. But then, she scanned her own memories. It had always seemed like Irene had been watching out for Raven, taking care of her, trying to keep her from doing anything _terribly_ bad, and had generally cared for her. Had Mystique felt the same way? Rogue felt an unusual urge to know. She scanned through the memories she'd absorbed from Mystique carefully. Apparently, yes, Mystique _had_ cared back.

_Funny_, thought Rogue,_ I never knew she could ever care for anyone but herself._

Rogue was brought out of her thoughts as she heard Irene rising.

"Wh-what happened?" Irene asked as she rubbed her head.

"Ah know why you brought me here." Rogue told her, trying to suppress her inner anger. Irene's face was etched thickly with surprise.

"Rogue, please, I wasn't trying to use you in any way-" Irene began, but Rogue stopped her.

"Ah know. Ah never thought you would. But now Ah confirmed it. But why, why did you try to save Mystique?" Rogue asked, although she already knew the answer.

"Rogue, something is wrong." Irene said, ignoring Rogue question. She felt she was not yet ready to tell Rogue of her feelings toward Raven. "I just had a vision, and it was not a good one. It was of Raven-" Rogue knew that Irene always called Mystique by her real name, she being one the few people Mystique had ever allowed to. "- and she was being controlled. She was killing innocent people, destroying things, and all in the name of some dark force." Irene told her gravely.

Rogue snorted. "Ah wouldn't count on it. Ah mean, who would go through all that trouble just to save Mystique? She's not even that powerful."

"Ah, but Rogue, she has skill. And she has been given the power to back it up. Her power has been radically upgraded. And by the looks of what I saw, she was in a bloodthirsty rage of some sort." Irene told Rogue, just before the door was kicked open.

"We're here for Rogue." Cyclops said, a few of the X-Men back behind him.

"You can't just barge in here like that-" Irene began, but Rogue had already marched up to them, a scowl present on her face.

"Scott, why can't you just butt out for once!" She hissed.

"You should've told us about where you were going!" Jean told her calmly.

"Well, Ah shouldn't have to! It's mah life!" Rogue yelled.

"Well, Kurt like, totally thought you were in like, some kind of trouble, the way you sped off this morning! And not to mention the Professor found out you were in the house of someone who worked with Mystique!" Shadowcat retorted.

"Well, it's not _mah_ fault that _Furball_ can't mind his own business!" Rogue shrieked before pushing them out and slamming the door in their shocked faces.

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"Yo, Lance! Freddy won't let me watch the battery TV!" Todd shouted. It was around midday, and everyone in the Boarding House seemed a bit discouraged with the fact that Nightcrawler had taken Mystique's rock hard body. They had been having fun with it.

The Boarding House was almost completely dark. Only a few candles burned for light.

"Toad, I told you, you have to deal with your own problems!" Lance yelled back from upstairs.

Pietro raced down the stairs. "You guys, I'm sooooooo bored!" He whined.

"I know! It's gotten boring ever since Night Creeper stole Mystique. Well, not only that, but also when the electric company cut off the power." Freddy said.

Wanda walked in and sighed. "Well, you know he really didn't _steal_ Mystique, if you think about the fact that she was his _mother_, you dumb oafs. I mean, it's not like she actually belonged to you anyways." She told them.

"Yeah, well it doesn't matter now 'cause Rogue broke her." Pietro complained.

"Yeah, I hear that Fuzzball's gonna give her a funeral." Lance laughed as he came downstairs.

"How do you know, man?" Todd asked.

"Kitty heard him talking about it in his room. She says he's been moping around all the time now, and always picking fights with Rogue." Lance said.

"Well, you can't really blame him, she was his mom. Maybe we should go check it out." Wanda suggested.

"Why, so we can spit on her grave? I got better things to do with my day, yo." Todd chuckled.

"Yeah, it's her funeral." Pietro dismissed. Suddenly the door was smashed down and the candles were blown out by the wind, leaving them in utter darkness. Wanda backed away into a wall.

"What's happenin', yo?" Todd clung onto Freddy, scared.

"No, Pietro. It's _your_ funeral." A voice from the door said. Mystique stepped into the home, her blue skin still glowing with the markings of Apocalypse.

"My-My-Mystique!" Pietro uttered disbelievingly.

"No. I. Am. DEATH!" Death screamed, and instantly attacked the boys; Wanda pressed herself against the back wall, watching everything go on in horror.

"You think it was funny using my body as a toy?" Death hissed as she picked Todd up by the shirt. She threw him against the wall, her enhanced strength forcing him through. He slumped down with his nose bleeding heavily.

"Hey, that's not funny!" Freddy roared. He began running at Death at full speed. Everyone but her in that room thought she was a goner. But she did an amazing front flip onto Freddy back, and forced him through the wall. She instantly transformed to Rogue, and grabbed Freddy's neck. His strength began to sap into her, making her even stronger, and knocking out Fred. She transformed to normal, turning to Pietro.

"What's happened to you?" Pietro asked as he zipped around Death.

"I have been improved." Death said simply. She used a swift kick that knocked Pietro into the ceiling. He winced in pain and held his arm as he fell through the air (3) and was knocked unconscious as he hit the ground. Wanda raced over to him.

"Pietro! Pietro! _Pietro, answer me, you idiot!" _Wanda cried, nudging Pietro carefully. Her tears ran down her face and landed on Pietro's unmoving body.

"That's it! Get out of here!" Lance screamed has his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He sent a huge tremor towards Death, but she easily moved out of the way. She shifted her arm into a advanced weapon that resembled a cannon, and blasted Lance into a wall. His head made a satisfying _crack!_ as it hit the wall.

"You're the only one left." Death didn't even smile as she walked slowly towards Wanda.

"What did I do to you? I even suggested someone who could save you?" Wanda screamed.

"Everyone is against me, except my Master." Death reached Wanda. Wanda was too shocked to fight back. Death picked her up by the throat and slammed her head against a wall. A crack appeared behind it. She brought her face in so close to Wanda's that Wanda could smell her hot breath in her face.

"The Age of Apocalypse is nigh(4)." Death said finally, and threw Wanda into the old television, and she gasped for breath. Death pounded her shoe onto the side of Wanda's head. "Spread the word." Death stomped out of the dark house, leaving the carnage behind. She transformed into a blood-spattered raven, and flew into the blue sky.

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The X-Men were in their jet, on their way back to the mansion. Cyclops(5) flew the jet, while the rest of the team sat in the back with disgruntled looks on their faces.

"What's, like, gotten into her?" Shadowcat asked angrily into the silence, her arms folded over her chest.

"She's taking the Mystique thing really hard too." Jean answered.

"But she's the one who killed her, man! How can _she_ be the one upset?" Spyke cried.

"Whatever. Let's just get back home." Cyclops moaned. They soon landed in the X-Jet's hanger, and trooped to the Professor's office to report. But before they could even knocked he beckoned for them to come in.

"The Brotherhood needs your urgent help. There is someone down there attacking them and they are nearly _dead!_" The Professor informed them.

"No! Lance!" Kitty cried.

"Go! Now! Save them!" The Professor urged. They nodded and quickly ran to the garage. They hopped in the X-Van and drove at full speed to the Boarding House. Kurt didn't come. They arrived and jumped out. They saw a horrible sight. They ran in to find all of the Brotherhood unconscious, most of them bloody. Spyke quickly pulled a bloody-faced Todd out of a wall. Kitty rushed over to Lance, who was slumped at the bottom of a wall, his clothes very singed. Scott picked up Wanda, whose back of her head was slightly bleeding from an impact of some sort. Just as Jean was about to pick Pietro up he stirred slightly.

"Ah!" He cried as he held onto his bleeding and broken arm. "Is-is-is she gone?" He asked quietly, not even opening his eyes.

"Pietro! Who did this? Tell us who!" Jean urged trying to clean off the blood on his arm.

"My-my...Mystique...Death..." Pietro said no more.

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(1)-Not sure what Horseman she is, so I just made her Death.

(2)-Yes, apparently that's the correct spelling for "kidnaped".

(3)-Yeah, that's how high their living room's ceiling is. He stayed up in the air for like, 3 whole seconds!

(4)-Apocalypse said that at the end of X-Men Legends 1's game ending movie.

(5)-I called them those names instead of Scott and everything because they're in costume. Deal with it ;)

Well, that was the most violent thing I've ever written! Hoped you liked. A lot longer than my other chapters! How's THAT for Apocalypse thing, DarkWolfBlade? Lol. I wouldn't of THOUGHT of that if it weren't for you! Well, I've got an entire story planned out now, including a big, shocking twist! Please, review and I will TRY to reply!


	5. Out of Control

**Hi people! This is the long-awaited next chapter, as I just got back from my vacation last night! Just so you know, After Im done this chapter I will be coming out with FOUR, count 'em, FOUR new fics!**

**Chapter 5:Out of Control**

Kurt sat alone in the big cemetery, preparing the grave for his mother. His hot tears spilled onto the dry dirt. He had a bag beside him where the remains of his mother sat, waiting to be buried in the cold earth. He could still remember vividly when Rogue had smashed her to pieces. He was still upset as he dug through the ground with his hands.

The other X-Men were on some mission right then; he didn't care. He refused to go with them, refusing before they'd even told him what the mission was. He'd only wanted to bury Mystique. To him, that was top priority. The only thing that mattered. When he'd thought he'd dug a pretty sizeable hole, he carefully unwrapped the bag. He held Mystique's face close up to his, studying every single detail.Then it crossed his mind. Did the face looks different than from before it had been shattered? It didn't feel the same to him. He shrugged it off.

He sighed heavily, wiping the tears away.

"I never got to tell you, Mother, but...I love you. I love you vith all my heart, so very, very much." Kurt kissed the cold cheek, and hugged it close to his heart. He rested the stone into the grave, and just as he was about to unload the rest of the pieces, his ears twitched.

His ears weren't just for looks; they had a degree of heightened hearing. They swivelled around, trying desperately to figure out where the sound had come from. He searched around the immediate area with his eyes, although with the setting sun it was getting hard to see. Not a problem for Kurt, however, as he had a small degree of night vision that would kick in when it got too dark. He heard the sound again.

Footsteps. Definitely footsteps. But he couldn't tell where.

"Hello?" Kurt called out, looking faster around as he got more frightened and panicked. The footsteps got louder, then stopped. But Kurt _still_ couldn't see anyone!

_Who would come to ruin my funeral?_ Kurt asked quickly in his mind, still sitting, and searching with his eyes. Maybe Rogue had somehow found out about it. The _Rogue_ who, when she did something terrible, no one cared. They all felt bad for her because she had such a _troubled past_. Kurt snorted mentally.

It wasn't like _he_ didn't have a troubled past. Everyone felt bad for Rogue because she couldn't touch anyone. At least she could go in public without wearing a hologram. No one normal would _want_ to touch Kurt.

But Kurt was letting his mind stray from reality. The footsteps had stopped. Kurt had some idea of where they were. Carefully, Kurt tiptoed over to a tree and crawled up it. He climbed over a branch, ever so quiet, and peeked over.

No one was there.

Kurt let out a sigh of relief. He looked down again. Nothing left but an odd, blue puddle. He squinted down at it until he heard a faint _crack_. He was puzzled; he didn't know what that sound could be. Maybe someone had broken a twig while walking over there. But no, he saw no one. Then he got his answer.

The branch he was sitting on made one more loud _crack!_as a final warning to Kurt, and broke off the tree under his weight. He hit the ground, his face landing in the blue puddle.

"ACH!" Kurt groaned as he pulled himself up, and kept his eyes closed as he wiped his face. But to his great surprise, none of the odd liquid in the puddle was on his face. He slowly opened his eyes and examined the puddle more carefully. It was as smooth as silk, and as deep blue as his fur. Around the top edge Kurt saw a hint of red. It was the strangest thing Kurt had ever seen. There was a bit of light blue around it too. He was completely dumbfounded, baffled, and confused.

He stared into it, and almost thought he saw his own reflection. But then, he realized it wasn't his face.

It was Mystique's.

He jumped backwards quickly, extremely startled by what he just saw. He shook his head. Was he going insane?

Mystique was dead. He'd seen her die.

He looked back over at the puddle. Instantly, it began to rise up and take the form of a person. Kurt ran backwards and up the tree, rather like a cat being chased by a dog. He watched as Mystique rose up and fell back down onto the ground.

Kurt could tell she was in terrible shape. Her face was in an expression of something he'd never thought he could _ever_ see on her face: panic and fear. Her usually neat hair was completely disheveled. She had blue markings all over her. She looked up to Kurt in the tree. She saw his terrified expression.

"Mother? I-I-I thought you were dead! I saw you shatter!" Kurt managed to breathe. Mystique crawled slowly along the ground until she reached right under where Kurt sat; he had sat on a different, thicker, stronger branch this time, having learned his lesson.

"K-Kurt, help me. Kill me before I do it again. He has me." Mystique managed to sob.

"Do vhat?" Kurt asked. He jumped down and slowly crouched beside her and she cried tears. She stared into his face.

"Hurry. Save me before it takes control again. Before I lose control!" She pleaded. But Kurt had no idea what she was talking about.

"Vhat is wrong? Tell me!" Kurt shook her, trying to get her to tell him.

"A-Apocalypse...Death...Brotherhood...dead...me...help..." Mystique was sobbing noisily and heavily.

"_Vhat!"_ Kurt couldn't believe it. _Mystique_ had _killed_ the Brotherhood? Apocalypse had her under his control? His head was spinning.

"K-Kurt! No matter what happens, make sure you and Rogue know that I love you both!" Mystique managed to gasp before collapsing. Kurt had to get her out of there. Maybe the Professor or Beast could save her. Apocalypse had stolen his mother, and he would _not_ get away with it. He grabbed his unconscious mother and teleported back to the Mansion.

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Professor Xavier was amazed at the Brotherhood Boys' injuries. According to the team, Pietro had said something to do with Mystique and someone named "Death". Beast was working on them now. He had needed some extra help, so the Professor had called in his old friend Moira MacTaggert to help. She had even told him that those were some pretty bad wounds. Lance had burns, Todd had a mangled nose,Pietro had a broken arm and a couple of broken ribs, Wanda had a gash on the back of her head, a scrape on the side of her head, and hurt back, and Fred was in a slight coma, but Moira expected him to wake up in a few hours.

Xavier had scanned all of their minds, trying to get all the information he could. He gasped as he finished Wanda.

It had been Mystique. Or at least, it looked like Mystique. She was now calling herself Death. It expplained so much, yet so little... Xavier sat in the infirmary, alone other than the patients around him. The silence was disturbed as Kurt teleported in, holding Mystique in his arms.

"Kurt!" Professor Xavier said. He saw tears running down Kurt's face as he placed Mystique down.

"Professor, she needs to be contained." Kurt said plainly. And with that, he explained everything to the Professor.

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Well, how's that, guys? I know, it's a bit shorter than usual, but I was running out of time and developed some writing block DANG. But, I'm gonna take the pace slow, and do it at the right pace so as to prevent Writer's Block. Ill update soon, but please, REVIEW. I needed some Kurt/Mystique time in there. I just realized this is sort of going down Movie-Phoenix path! Weird...


	6. How Far Can It Go

**Chapter 6-How Far Can It Go**

"LET ME OUT OR I SHALL MAKE YOU SCREAM SO LOUD YOUR LUNGS WILL EXPLODE!" Death screamed as she pounded on the cage wall. Kurt winced.

"She's even worse than before." Beast commented as he studied the computer screen he was staring at.

"Ve have to save her, Professor!" Kurt insisted.

"YOU WILL ALL DIE! MY MASTER SHALL TAKE YOUR WRETCHED SOULS AND USE THEM TO POWER HIS ARMY!" Death screamed even louder.

"We are trying, Kurt, but we have no idea how to save her!" The Professor answered back sharply, rubbing his bald head. He calmed down. He was very stressed out.  
"Please, go see if Rogue is home. Remember, _under no circumstances_ can she see this. We cannot let things get more out of hand than they already are." The Professor reminded him. Kurt was just about to leave when Kitty quickly phased in.

"Rogue's home!" Kitty informed them frantically. "Jean's trying to distract her, but she's not buying it!"

Everyone gasped, while Death continued to curse obscenities and threats at them.

"She still creeps me out…" Kitty took a moment to comment on Death. Just as they tried to figure out what to do, the last person they wanted in there walked in. Rogue gasped as she saw Death.

"What's she doin' here?" She demanded angrily, a confused look on her face.

"Rogue, please, calm down!" Professor Xavier urged, but Rogue wouldn't listen. She continued to rave.

"How the hell did she come back!" Rogue screamed. "Did you help her?" She began accusing everyone. She whirled around to face Kurt. "It was _you_, wasn't it!"

"Shut up and calm down, Rogue!" Kurt shook her. She came to her senses, but didn't calm down.

"Why-is-she-here?" She gasped.

"That vasn't our mother you shattered that day, it vas a fake. Apocalypse has taken her, and I am determined to save her, and if you had a heart you vould help too!" Kurt said quickly. Rogue's expression softened, and she calmed herself down.

"You mean, that she's under control?" Rogue asked, trying to understand the situation.

"No, she's _out_ of control." Beast called out from his post. Rogue walked over to the see-through cage and stared into Mystique's face, twisted into a look of rage, hate, and evil…the very words Rogue had always used to describe her.

"YOU WILL ALL SUFFER THE WRATH OF DEATH!" Death screamed out, and took once again to banging the walls. Rogue couldn't stand to look at it.

"Are you sure she can't escape?" Rogue asked the Professor.

"We can't be sure. Her powers are radically heightened. She can do practically anything now." The Professor answered. Suddenly, Death grew silent. She sat down cross-legged on her floor. A face Rogue recognized spread across her face.

It was the face she always wore when she was planning something.

"You guys, we should pay attention to what she's doing." Rogue told the others. But where was Kitty?

"Vhere's Kitty?" Kurt asked. They looked around to see Kitty in the cage of Death.

"Let me out of here!" Kitty urged, banging on the wall.

"Don't think we're about to fall for that." Beast laughed.

"No, like, really, guys! Mystique has already like, escaped now!" Kitty insisted. She proceeded to phase through the wall and hop to the ground. Everyone was stunned.

"How'd you get in there?" Rogue asked, completely befuddled.

"While you guys were looking away she turned to me, phased out, then threw me in there! That's just how fast she is now!" Kitty explained.

"And now, the worst has come to pass. She is loose. Now, go! We must find her." The Professor rubbed his temples, and searched the grounds for any sign of Mystique's mind. He gasped. "My God- she's become so powerful she can block my telepathic probes!" No one waited a minute longer. They ran out for Mystique, or more precisely, Death.

But their attempts were futile. It was like trying to catch smoke with nothing but your hands. She had already disappeared.

Kurt quickly broke down.

"Mo-mo-mother…" He sobbed as tears ran down his face. Rogue tried to comfort him.

"I will use Cerebro. Perhaps that will help." The Professor sped off to Cerebro.  
Kurt continued to cry. Rogue had more control. She wouldn't let herself cry in front of other people.  
Kurt tried to wipe his tears away. Beast whispered to Kitty, and Kitty nodded. They left Kurt and Rogue alone.  
"Ro-Rogue… Mystique…I vas having a funeral for her…and she came…and she had control…and before she succumbed to …whatever Apocalypse has done to her…she told me that she loves us very much." He managed to choke out. Rogue stared, trying to take in what Kurt had just said. Had Mystique been sincere?

Of course she had. It had been her last words as herself. She made up her mind.

"Kurt…" She lifted up his head and stared into his wet eyes. The yellow eyes she recognized as a trait Mystique had. "Nothing can evah erase what she did to me. But Ah can forgive her. If you're right- if she _did _love me, then Ah'm willing to fight for our mother." Rogue smiled, and was surprised at her own words.

She was right.

Nothing could ever make up for what Mystique had done to her over time. But it can be rebuilt. Rogue _had_ had a relationship with Mystique before she'd used her time and time again. Maybe they could save that.  
Maybe the dream she thought so fondly of every day, of her, Kurt, and their mother being a family, wasn't so impossible.

Suddenly, the Professor rolled out at top speed.

"She's on her way to Egypt. She's resting in an old construction lot. Go!" The Professor urged. Kurt and Rogue, brother and sister, nodded to one another and teleported to the X-Jet. The Team was already there. They flew off at top speed.

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Marko Wagner may not be the trustworthiest person, but he was a good friend of Irene's, and would always help her out.  
"Don't think of this as me wanting to help Raven." Marko repeated quietly teleported Irene to the construction lot that Irene had requested from him.

"Do not be so worrisome, Marko. You can go now." Irene whispered as she straightened herself, and stared with her blind eyes around her.

"Nein, I think I'd rather stay and vatch from afar." Marko said finally, before leaving a stench of brimstone and sulphur behind in a cloud of smoke, and reappeared on top of an old, abandoned crane.

Irene knew that Raven was mere metres away. This was her last chance. She knew everything that would happen if Raven wasn't stopped now. Many innocents would die.  
And on a more important note to Irene, it had to be done now, while a flicker of Raven's strong will still remained.  
She walked straight ahead, her cane guiding her. Marko's beady black eyes watched the scene unfold from far above.

Irene could hear a plane approaching overhead. It didn't matter. She heard breathing up ahead.

She carefully stepped forward. She got a vision of a huge iron girder in her way, and carefully stepped over it.

"Raven?" She called out softly, hoping to get an answer. She heard a shuffling as Death turned around.

"How foolish of you to seek pure Death out." Death said. There was no humour or arrogance in her words.

"Raven, I know you're still in there. Fight it." Irene kept calm, although sweat was starting to bead on her forehead.

"Shut up, old woman!" Death commanded.

"Raven, fight it!" Irene shouted.  
Death looked like she was about to attack Irene when she suddenly collapsed forward. She was clasping her head so tightly, her nails began to dig in.  
"Ahhh!" Death screamed. "What's happening!"

"Come on, Raven! Fight it!" Irene cheered.

"Ireeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeene!" Mystique screamed, wrestling against Death for control. But Death took the winning side.

"Stop it!" Death screeched, still clasping her head. The X-Jet began to land as it approached the construction site.

Inside, Rogue and Kurt ran up to the window.

"That's Irene! We need to help her!" Rogue urged.

"Wait! Mystique's struggling. She might overpower Apocalypse's tampering!" Jean informed them.

But to their horror, this was no longer the case.

Death stood up, and shook herself. She picked up Irene by the neck and smiled a cruel, evil smile. Irene feet dangled helplessly in mid-air, Irene gasping for air.  
"Fool. You thought your friend could overcome Death? Pity. She doesn't know what's about to happen to you. Are you get precognetic visions of your own demise?" Death hissed, bringing her face in closer to Irene's.

"NO!" Rogue screamed, and scrambled to get out of the X-jet. Kurt tried to follow her, but the ramp would not lower.

"We've got to help her!" Rogue cried. Scott tried to get the ramp to lower, but by the time Rogue and Kurt got out, they were too far away to help.

Too late.

Irene took in her last breath and said, "I love you, Raven." Before Death threw her to the ground.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion through Rogue's eyes.  
Her legs pumping hard, Kurt's tail swishing, and finally, frame by frame, she saw Death pick up Irene's cane and draw it up.  
"NO!" Came Rogue's slow voice. Just as the cane came slowly down, everything burst into sudden rush. Rogue stopped dead as she watched Death give the final, deathblow.  
She fell to her knees, tears falling freely from her eyes. She knew what had just happened, but could not believe it.

Irene was dead.

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For me, that was a powerful chapter. Very angsty, I know. This was updated quickly on request of Frankie, who is an AWESOME regular reviewer, by the way, thanks! Please review. Bet you didn't see the Death of Irene coming, did ya? Something else surprising coming in the next chapter.!


	7. Revnge and Epilogue

Sorry for the extremely late update, but I've been thinking about this for a while now, and am planning for this to be the last chapter. If there are requests, I may plan to write a sequel about what happens after the story ends. Once again, I say thank you to all the people who have stayed by my side these times and encouraged me to keep writing, and you have Frankie to thank for this update. Here ya go, Frank.

Chapter 7

Death turned to face Rogue and Kurt now. There was a flame of white-hot fury and evil and cruelty burning in her eyes that Kurt had never seen before.  
"Your friend is dead." She told them amusedly.  
"No no no no no…" Rogue whispered frantically. "This ain't happenin'…" She was extremely upset. The woman who had raised her most of her life was now dead. Death began to step towards them.  
"Mother, don't do this…" Kurt pleaded. Cyclops ran out of the jet while Logan yelled behind him to stop.  
"Back off, lady!" Cyclops yelled as he blasted at Mystique.  
"Scott!" Kurt yelled. They all watched as the smoke cleared to reveal Death was no longer there.  
"Where'd she go?" Scott asked, searching around with his eyes. Suddenly, there was a noise behind Scott, and he whirled around and blasted aimlessly on instinct. It hit nothing but an old bulldozer, which flew backwards on impact.  
"Sc-Scott! Look out!" Rogue yelled, but it was too late. Death knocked Scott out effortlessly, as Jean watched horrifyingly on.  
"Scott!" She cried, flying out of the jet while Logan yelled for her to stop also.  
"DON'T DO IT, JEAN!" Logan roared, but to no avail. Jean sailed down to Scott's unconscious body, and used her gift to throw Death across the construction site. She held Scott's limp body up and gently kissed his cheek.  
"Jean, get Scott out of here! Take the X-Jet and regroup at the Mansion!" Rogue ordered. Jean hesitated.  
"We can't just leave you!" Jean told them. Kurt shook his head insistently.  
"Go! Me and Rogue can handle ourselves!" Kurt urged. Jean nodded sadly and flew herself and Scott back up to the now hovering X-Jet. Kurt helped Rogue up, who had since wiped away her tears. They nodded to each other, sister and brother, partners in crime, and faced their mother as the X-Jet roared away.  
"So, you're all that's left now, eh?" Death cackled. "Don't you dare think…that this will be easy (1)." She flew at them at top speed.  
High above this, the unknown watcher known as Marko Wagner wrestled with his conscience.  
"No, you vill _not_ go save those two mutants. He is _not _your son." He told himself, watching the two mutants far below being completely overwhelmed by his ex-wife's body, not mind. "Ach, Wagner, you are too soft." And with that, Marko drew two swords from behind his back (2) and teleported down into the fray.  
Kurt was surprised when he saw a red man with two swords appear in smoke and light between him, his sister, and his mother out of nowhere.  
"Who are you?" He tried to ask, but he found his mouth was too dry.  
Death did not like the glare the man was sending her. She had stopped dead in her tracks.  
"Move, demon." She hissed.  
"Ve vill see who the demon is vhen you die, Raven." Marko merely said and he threw the swords back into their place, grabbed the shoulders of both confused teenagers, and used his more advanced teleporting abilities to transport them away. Death's hand, now in the form of a knife, stabbed nothing but purple and black smoke as she struck a jiffy too late (3). She screamed an inhuman shriek into the dying sunlight.  
She turned to stare angrily at the setting sun. The wind ruffled gently through her fiery mane of hair.  
"My master calls me…" She said into the silence as she continued her journey to Egypt.

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Kurt and Rogue found themselves in Kurt's room in the mansion, a strange man behind them. Rogue was the first to speak.  
"Who are you?" She whirled around to see the red devil with dark eyes.  
"You vish to know?" Marko whispered quietly.  
Rogue stared into Marko's face and hair and every feature she could see, and saw Kurt in every aspect.  
"You're Kurt's father, aren't you?" Rogue asked warily.  
Kurt was shocked. He jumped back as he studied the resemblances.  
"Ja, I am Kurt's _father_." Marko put a sickened stress on the last word.  
"You are my _father_? Vhere vere you all these years? Vhy have you forgotten me?" Kurt had a landslide of questions to ask, but Marko's expression made it clear that this was not the time to talk about it. They ran to find the Professor, neither Kurt nor Rogue wondered how Marko knew his way around the mansion. They found Xavier, Jean, and Logan caring for Scott in the Infirmary.  
"Is he going to be okay?" Kitty asked hurriedly as she phased in with a wet, steaming cloth.  
"Yes, Kitty, he'll be fine." The Professor told her calmly. He noticed Rogue, Kurt and the stranger walk in.  
"Welcome Marko." Xavier greeted coldly.  
"Alvays good to meet old friends, right, Xavier?" Marko grunted.  
"Hardly." Xavier and Marko glared across at each other.  
"You two know each other?" Rogue asked, confused.  
"You could say that, Fraulein." Marko muttered.  
"You _knew_ he vas my father and you never _told_ me!" Kurt turned on the Professor.  
"Kurt, this is not the time. The final battle is approaching and we _must_ be ready." The Professor gave the last word. "Go prepare yourselves."  
Kurt and Rogue still stayed together, stomping off to find something to do. They walked off into the Danger Room, finding no one there. Marko suddenly appeared in front of Kurt and Rogue.

"Vhat do _you_ vant?" Kurt asked sourly.  
"Number one, who is this Fraulein you keep going around vith, son?" Marko asked.  
"You have no right to call me son. And _she_ is my sister." Kurt angrily responded. Marko nodded. "Now answer my question." Kurt insisted.  
"Vell, the fight against Raven approaches, and I vish for my son to not make a fool of himself trying to fight blindly." Marko answered.  
"He _doesn't_ fight blindly. He fights like an X-Man, but ya'll wouldn't know that, now would ya?" Rogue said.

"I vant to teach you the art of sword fighting, son." Marko said to Kurt, ignoring Rogue.  
"Don't call me _son_." Kurt hissed again.

"Fine." Marko agreed. "But allow me to teach you the art of swords." Kurt thought about this, and reluctantly nodded. He turned to look at Kurt's Goth sister. "I suppose your sister can learn too." He said.  
"Nah thanks. Ah got mah own way ta fight." Rogue refused. Kurt teleported himself and Marko down into the Danger Room while Rogue watched on from the Observation Deck. Marko handed Kurt his two precious swords, and Rogue watched as they performed what looked as a graceful sword dance.

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"You ready, brothah?" Rogue asked Kurt, who stood beside her in front of the X-Jet's front window.  
"Of course." Kurt murmured. He had his right hand loosely feeling one of the swords attached to his belt.  
"We're approaching now." Scott's voice rang out through the flying aircraft. The only occupants were Kurt, Rogue, Scott, and Logan. It would be too dangerous to bring many other people. Kurt looked out the window to see endless sand, constantly shifting. Rogue pointed out a huge Pyramid that stood out in the approaching wasteland.  
"That must be it!" Rogue cried. Scott took the jet down at Logan's command. They landed a mile away, with the pyramid still in their view.  
"Vhy are ve landing here?" Kurt asked.  
"If we get too close Apocalypse will know we're here. Easier to take him by surprise." Logan grunted. Everyone held onto Kurt's shoulders as he teleported them up closer. His heart pumped hard. His revenge was close, his mother's salvation mere moments away. Logan eventually found the entrance, and they carefully stalked into the dark chambers.

The pyramid was different than others, though. I had one huge chamber instead of many little ones in a maze. This one huge chamber had test tubes and strange machines none of them had ever seen before. Suddenly, something pounced onto Wolverine and proceeded to smash him into a wall.  
"Wolverine!" Scott tried to yell, but Kurt quickly wrapped a hand over his mouth, the fur tickling Scott's lips.  
"Shh!" Kurt hissed.  
"Oh, do not worry, Nightcrawler. I knew you were here." A booming laugh came out of the darkness as Apocalypse stepped out of the shadows.  
"YOU!" Kurt and Rogue bellowed. Rogue tried to jump on him and attack his head, but Apocalypse threw her off. Kurt took this chance to grab his swords. He spun them expertly and hit Apocalypse against a wall while Scott and Rogue dealt with Death. Rogue quickly tried to absorb Apocalypse, but it only weakened him.  
"You cannot beat me!" Apocalypse boomed.  
Rogue and Kurt nodded to one another and both did jump kicks to Apocalypse's mid-section, flinging him efficiently through a column. Apocalypse rasped as his weakened body began to exhaust. Kurt threw a sword to Rogue. Together, they screamed loud and drove the weapons into Apocalypse, ending his life forever.  
The mental link to Apocalypse broken, Death faded away and Mystique came to. She collapsed into Logan arms.  
"It's over." Kurt said aloud.

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Back in the Mansion, Rogue and Kurt sat beside Mystique's bed for two days straight, different mutants bringing them food at regular intervals.  
On the third day, Mystique arose.  
"Wha-what happened?" She groaned as she rubbed her blue forehead. She saw Rogue and Kurt, tears in their eyes, crouched beside her bed.  
"We love you, Mama." Rogue cooed as her and Kurt leaned over for a hug. Mystique's eyes leaked horribly, her golden eyes shining brightly.  
"I-I love you too…" She mumbled, ruffling both their hair at once. She thought carefully about everything she could remember, and stared into her children's eyes.  
"Would you two like to live with me?" Mystique asked carefully. "I know it's a big step, but we could be a family…"  
Kurt and Rogue smiled to each other. Their dreams weren't impossible after all.  
The mismatched family of mutants sat together on the small white medical bed, all crying and hugging. Rogue realised something. She dreaded telling her.  
"Mama…Irene's…dead." She murmured. Mystique's gasp of shock said it all.  
"No…" Mystique cried tears of sadness now.

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**Epilogue **  
Mystique, Rogue, and Kurt sat on the edge of the cliff overlooking the body of water around the Mansion. Mystique scattered the ashes to the winds and they shared a moment of silence for Mystique's comrade who died at her own hands. They walked together, off into the Mansion, through the setting sun. The Professor's made a deal with Mystique. Mystique managed to get her job back as acting Principal of Bayville High, so the family all went to the school. Mystique bought a house near the Institute, so that after school Rogue and Kurt would come for two hour training and hanging out, and lived at Mystique's new house. Mystique still took care of the Brotherhood Boys; she had to. But her children had changed her way of life. She became a Spy for the X-Men. And the family of mutants who were once ripped apart by hate and anger was brought together by a tragedy.

**The End**

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(1)-Oooh, a Soul Calibur 3 Setsuka quote.  
(2)-Comic Kurt used double swords for weapons, and now his dad shal teach him how to use them!  
(3)-Believe it or not, but a jiffy is an actual unit of measuring time, meaning a hundredth of a second.

**Well, -sniff- that's my first fic done. I thank all of you again for all the nice reviews youve given me.**


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